U-Isaya 1
1 Umbono kaIsaya indodana kaAmozi, awubona ngoJuda leJerusalema, ensukwini zaboUziya, uJothamu, uAhazi, uHezekhiya, amakhosi akoJuda.
The vision of Isaiah, the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem, in the days of Uzziah, Joatham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah.
2 Zwanini, mazulu, ubeke indlebe, mhlaba, ngoba iNkosi isikhulumile, yathi: Ngondlile ngakhulisa abantwana, kodwa bona bangivukele.
Listen, O heavens, and pay attention, O earth, for the Lord has spoken. I have nurtured and raised children, but they have spurned me.
3 Inkabi iyamazi umniniyo, lobabhemi umkolo womnikazi wakhe; kodwa uIsrayeli kazi, abantu bami kabaqedisisi.
An ox knows his owner, and a donkey knows the manger of his lord, but Israel has not known me, and my people have not understood.
4 Hawu, isizwe esonayo, abantu abasindwa yibubi, inzalo yabenzi bobubi, abantwana abonakalisayo! Bayitshiyile iNkosi, bamdelele oNgcwele kaIsrayeli, bahlehlele nyovane.
Woe to a sinful nation, a people burdened by iniquity, a wicked offspring, accursed children. They have abandoned the Lord. They have blasphemed the Holy One of Israel. They been taken away backwards.
5 Lizatshayelwani futhi? Belizaqhubeka livukela; ikhanda lonke liyagula, lenhliziyo yonke ibuthakathaka.
For what reason shall I continue to strike you, as you increase transgressions? The entire head is feeble, and the entire heart is grieving.
6 Kusukela kungaphansi yonyawo kuze kufike ekhanda kakulandawo ephilileyo kukho, kodwa izilonda lemivimvinya lamanxeba ophayo; kakukhanywanga, kakubotshwanga, kakuthanjiswanga ngamafutha.
From the sole of the foot, even to the top of the head, there is no soundness within. Wounds and bruises and swelling sores: these are not bandaged, nor treated with medicine, nor soothed with oil.
7 Ilizwe lakini liyincithakalo, imizi yenu itshiswe ngomlilo, umhlaba wenu abezizwe bawudla phambi kwenu, njalo kulencithakalo, njengokugenqulwa ngabemzini.
Your land is desolate. Your cities have been set ablaze. Foreigners devour your countryside in your sight, and it will become desolate, as if devastated by enemies.
8 Indodakazi yeZiyoni isele-ke njengedumba esivinini, njengengalane ensimini yamakhomane, njengomuzi ovinjezelweyo.
And the daughter of Zion will be left behind, like an arbor in a vineyard, and like a shelter in a cucumber field, and like a city being laid to waste.
9 Uba iNkosi yamabandla ibingasitshiyelanga insali eyingcosana, besizakuba njengeSodoma, sifanane leGomora.
If the Lord of hosts had not bequeathed us offspring, we would have been like Sodom, and we would have been comparable to Gomorrah.
10 Zwanini ilizwi leNkosi, babusi beSodoma, libeke indlebe kumlayo kaNkulunkulu wethu, bantu beGomora.
Listen to the Word of the Lord, you leaders of the people of Sodom. Listen closely to the law of our God, O people of Gomorrah.
11 Buyini kimi ubunengi bemihlatshelo yenu? itsho iNkosi. Ngenelisiwe yiminikelo yokutshiswa yezinqama langamahwahwa okunonisiweyo; legazi lamajongosi lelamawundlu lelezimpongo kangithokozi ngalo.
The multitude of your sacrifices, what is that to me, says the Lord? I am full. I do not desire holocausts of rams, nor the fat of fatlings, nor the blood of calves and of lambs and of he-goats.
12 Lapho lisizabonakala phambi kwami, ngubani obize lokhu esandleni senu, ukugxoba amaguma ami?
When you approach before my sight, who is it that requires these things from your hands, so that you would walk in my courts?
13 Lingabe lisaletha umnikelo oyize; impepha iyisinengiso kimi; ukuthwasa kwenyanga, lesabatha, ukubizwa kwenhlangano, ngingekumele; kuyisiphambeko, ngitsho umhlangano onzulu.
You should no longer offer sacrifice in vain. Incense is an abomination to me. The new moons and the Sabbaths and the other feast days, I will not receive. Your gatherings are iniquitous.
14 Umphefumulo wami uyakuzonda ukuthwasa kwezinyanga zenu lemikhosi yenu emisiweyo; kungumthwalo kimi, sengikhathele yikukuthwala.
My soul hates your days of proclamation and your solemnities. They have become bothersome to me. I labor to endure them.
15 Lalapho liselula izandla zenu ngizalifihlela amehlo ami; njalo nxa lisandisa umkhuleko kangiyikuzwa; izandla zenu zigcwele igazi.
And so, when you extend your hands, I will avert my eyes from you. And when you multiply your prayers, I will not heed you. For your hands are full of blood.
16 Gezani, lizihlambulule; susani ububi bezenzo zenu phambi kwamehlo ami; yekelani ukwenza okubi;
Wash, become clean, take away the evil of your intentions from my eyes. Cease to act perversely.
17 fundani ukwenza okuhle; dingani isahlulelo; sizani ocindezelweyo; yehlulelani intandane; melani umfelokazi.
Learn to do good. Seek judgment, support the oppressed, judge for the orphan, defend the widow.
18 Wozani khathesi, siqondisane, itsho iNkosi; loba izono zenu zinjengokubomvu gebhu, zizakuba mhlophe njengeliqhwa elikhithikileyo; loba zibomvu njengokubomvu kakhulu, zizakuba njengoboya bezimvu.
And then approach and accuse me, says the Lord. Then, if your sins are like scarlet, they shall be made white like snow; and if they are red like vermillion, they shall become white like wool.
19 Uba livuma lilalela, lizakudla okuhle kwelizwe;
If you are willing, and you listen to me, then you will eat the good things of the land.
20 kodwa uba lisala libe lenkani, lizadliwa yinkemba; ngoba umlomo weNkosi ukhulumile.
But if you are not willing, and you provoke me to anger, then the sword will devour you. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
21 Yeka, umuzi othembekileyo usube liwule! Wawugcwele isahlulelo, ukulunga kwakuhlezi kuwo, kodwa khathesi ababulali.
How has the faithful city, full of judgment, become a harlot? Justice lived in her, but now murderers.
22 Isiliva sakho sesibe ngamanyele; iwayini lakho laxubana lamanzi.
Your silver has turned into dross. Your wine has been mixed with water.
23 Iziphathamandla zakho zingabahlamuki labangane bamasela; ngulowo lalowo uthanda isipho, azingele izivalamlomo; kazehluleli izintandane, lendaba yomfelokazi kayifiki kuzo.
Your leaders are unfaithful, the associates of thieves. They all love gifts; they pursue rewards. They do not judge for orphans, and the widow’s case is not brought before them.
24 Ngakho itsho iNkosi, iNkosi yamabandla, oLamandla wakoIsrayeli: E, ngizaziduduza ngezitha zami, ngiziphindisele kwabamelana lami.
Because of this, the Lord God of hosts, the Strength of Israel, says: Ah! I will be consoled over my enemies, and I will be vindicated from my adversaries.
25 Ngizabuyisela isandla sami phezu kwakho, ngicwengisise amanyele akho, ngisuse yonke ingcekeza yokucwengwa kwakho.
And I will turn my hand to you. And I will temper your dross unto purity, and I will take away all your tin.
26 Ngizabuyisela abahluleli bakho njengekuqaleni, labeluleki bakho njengakuqala; emva kwalokho ubizwe ngokuthi ngumuzi wokulunga, umuzi othembekileyo.
And I will restore your judges, so that they will be as before, and your counselors as in times long past. After this, you shall be called the City of the Just, the Faithful City.
27 IZiyoni izahlengwa ngesahlulelo, labaphendukayo bayo ngokulunga.
Zion will be redeemed in judgment, and they will lead her back to justice.
28 Lokwephulwa kwabaphambuki lokwezoni kuzakuba kanyekanye, labadela iNkosi baqedwe.
And he shall crush the accursed and sinners together. And those who have abandoned the Lord will be consumed.
29 Ngoba bazakuba lenhloni ngezihlahla zama-okhi elaliziloyisa, liyangeke ngezivande elizikhethileyo.
For they shall be confounded because of the idols, to which they have sacrificed. And you shall be ashamed over the gardens that you chose,
30 Ngoba lizakuba njengesihlahla se-okhi omahlamvu aso ayabuna, lanjengesivande esingelamanzi.
when you were like an oak with falling leaves, and like a garden without water.
31 Njalo olamandla uzakuba lifilakisi eliyizibi, lomenzi walo abe yinhlansi; njalo kuzakutsha kokubili kanyekanye, kungabi khona ocitshayo.
And your strength will be like the embers from stubble, and your work will be like a spark, and both will burn together, and there will be no one to extinguish it.
